What Can Flaxseed Oil Do for the Body?

by Jan Sheehan

Research suggests flaxseed oil may help the heart and offer other health benefits.

Flaxseed oil comes from the seeds of the flaxseed plant. Research suggests flaxseed oil may help promote heart health, aid weight loss and provide other health benefits. Much of the research about what flaxseed oil can do for the body is preliminary, however. More research is needed.

Helps The Heart

Flaxseed oil contains an essential fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. People who eat an ALA-rich diet, such as one containing flaxseed oil, may be less likely to die from a heart attack. Flaxseed oil may help prevent a fatal heart attack by making platelets less sticky, calming inflammation or reducing the risk of arrhythmia, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some studies show that flaxseed oil may also lower cholesterol. A review of research on cholesterol and flaxseed published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2009 found that the cholesterol-lowering benefits of flaxseed were most pronounced in postmenopausal women and people with high cholesterol. Several studies suggest a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including ALA, may also help reduce blood pressure.

Eases Menopause Symptoms

Randomized, controlled trials suggest flaxseed oil may help ease mild menopause symptoms, MayoClinic.com reports. Menopause typically starts around age 50. For women not yet going through menopause, flaxseed may be helpful for menstrual breast pain. One preliminary study in women suggests that flaxseed -- but not the oil derived from the seeds -- may reduce the breast pain associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Aids Weight Loss

Fats rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseed oil, may increase the body’s metabolic rate, helping you burn fat, according to AskDrSears.com. These fatty acids encourage your body to store a kind of flab called brown fat that the website says helps the body torch fat. However, MayoClinic.com notes there is limited research on the effects of flaxseed on obesity, so don’t expect miracle results.

Other Health Benefits

According to MayoClinic.com, flaxseed oil may help improve symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Breast cancer patients may also benefit from flaxseed oil. In one Canadian study published in "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" in 2010, flaxseed oil prevented breast tumors from growing in cancer patients. Additionally, a study published in the “Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences” in 2008 found that a combination of flaxseed oil and sesame oil strengthened the bone of rats, suggesting the oils may help prevent osteoporosis.

Considerations

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is funding more studies about the health benefits of flaxseed oil, but results won’t available for several years. In the meantime, the NCCAM recommends informing your health care providers about any complementary and alternative therapies you use. This includes using flaxseed oil to improve your health.

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About the Author

Jan Sheehan is an award-winning medical and nutrition writer, having entered journalism in 1992. She is a former contributing editor for "Parents" magazine. She has also written nutrition articles for "Self," "Fitness," "Ladies' Home Journal," "Health" and other magazines. Sheehan has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Purdue University.

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